The Game of Quadruplet Mates

Chapter 6-1

When Jeremy and I walked back to the mansion, we did so together, side by side with our elbows almost rubbing. It was hard to keep my heart in check and my lips to stop from smiling up at him.

I felt like a little girl, crushing on the popular boy. Yet there was something easy and natural about Jeremy. I didn’t have to try with him. It was effortless and I could talk to him without needing much thought.

For once, I felt normal in the Games because Jeremy didn’t notice or mention my low birth, bloodline or anything along those lines. He talks like it’s not even on his mind and in a world that is only about someone’s standing, I can’t help but admire him for it.

Nearing the mansion and away from our little getaway in the gardens, the crowd began to grow with more and more people staring at us. I prepared myself for the worst at first, to hear the whispers again, but it seems they’ve opted to ignore my existence completely, focusing solely on Jeremy instead.

I purposely fell behind from him, mostly to give him the space to get back to his pack— secretly because I was getting intimidated by the stares that followed and that’s when reality slapped me in the face. It’s like a bubble around me pops, the smoke clears and I’m reminded of who he is: the Beta of a very powerful pack.

His hold on people is instantaneous. Boys and girls alike turned to watch him walk in the mansion. With one hand in his pocket while the other holds the back of his neck, he strides through the entrance without a care about the attention he was getting.

Suddenly, he’s stopped by a girl in a dark red dress. The girl is beautiful. Her skin is radiant, her eyes wide and doe like. From the smell, I can tell she’s from a big pack, her blood line high.

Jeremy stops, his expression unreadable and his blue eyes blank. I can’t hear what she’s saying to him but she’s talking and smiling. Just when I think they know each other, Jeremy frowns and looks around all while she’s still talking. Blue eyes searched the crowd until they found me, hidden among a wave of excited participants.

He finally smiles, his cold expression breaking into something warm… warm enough to even thaw my stomach that turned to ice from their interaction.

“There you are, June.” Without giving her a single word, Jeremy pushed passed the girl in front of him and walked up to me. “Where did you go? You suddenly disappeared.”

“I was just,” I started to say, but the words d i e in my mouth when I saw the sharp glare of the girl he left behind. “I should find my pack members.”

Jeremy’s smile falls. He covers it up quickly with a nod. “Of course. Foolish of me to try and steal you away for the entire weekend.”

The blush comes instantly and I almost lose my footing.

He takes my hand, his thumb running knuckles. “I’ll see you later, June.”

I watch him go but he doesn’t get far as he is stopped again by a voice. “Hello, cousin.”

Cousin?

When I turn to face the voice, I see strawberry blonde hair and similar baby blue eyes… similar to Jeremy’s. She’s tall and lean and powerful. Her muscles are obvious but not taking away from her feminine features.

And she’s beautiful. Too beautiful. Her skin is perfectly tanned like she spends her days sunbathing, her hair all made up in a way I never thought was possible and her dress, oh her dress, was black and studded with a million crystals. It hugged her in all the right places— even I was attracted to her. She made me feel underdressed, under everything. She was a star and she knew it.

This girl, no, this woman, is beauty and strength all in one.

But then I also noticed the obvious.

She was the Alpha everyone was talking about.

The Alpha’s daughter of the richest pack in the world, the one with a dowry that could buy anyone.

And I remembered what she called Jeremy.

Cousin.

He’s a cousin of an Alpha, the Alpha of the city pack. Which means he has an Alpha bloodline.

I felt even more silly.

Jeremy sighs, crossing his arms on his chest. “Cora, I didn’t know you were going this year.”

The beautiful Goddess smiles, pushing her long strawberry blonde hair back. “If you knew, you would tell him and if you told him, he wouldn’t come.”

“I can’t blame him. I wouldn’t have attended either if I knew you were here.” Jeremy not so kindly teased. “Unlucky for you though, he’s not coming. It’s time to abandon that dream of yours, Cora. He won’t mate and he certainly won’t mate you.”

Her confidence didn’t waver, the smile on her lips widening. “It’s my last year. He’ll come.”

Jeremy laughs like this is the funniest thing he’s heard. “He hates the city pack. He hates you most especially. How many more years will it take you to realize that?”

A perfectly curved eyebrow goes up. “You say he hates it but then he takes an Alpha blooded city pack member as his Beta?”

His expression darkens at the mention of his bloodline. “We’re not the same, Cousin. We might share the same blood, but we are not the same. He knows this. He knows what you are.”

“And what’s that?” She smoothly challenged, looking much taller than Jeremy despite them being almost the same height. It was subtle but still there.

“A greedy b i t c h who’s always thirsty for more power.” He says factually and oh so calmly.